I clutched the piece of fabric, my fingertips trembling slightly.
It was like a key, poised to unlock the long-sealed door to the truth.
For days, I had been like a detective, gathering clues and piecing together a picture that was becoming increasingly clear. From my inexplicable transformation into the Crown Prince's Consort to those surreal, ambiguous dreams, the hushed whispers of the servants in the manor, and finally... my own reflection.
I gazed into the bronze mirror, studying myself, my fingertips tracing my cheek.
Willow-leaf brows, almond eyes, cherry lips—it was undeniable... I looked exactly like her!
I took a deep breath, my heart hammering against my ribs, as a near-manic hypothesis exploded in my mind: Could it be that I am just a substitute?
Was this kind of melodramatic, clichéd plot actually happening to me?
I felt like screaming at the sky. Good God, are You toying with me?!
But I knew I had to remain calm. I had to get to the bottom of this; I had to escape this absurd charade!
I began to re-examine every clue.
The Empress’s excessive concern for me, the Crown Prince’s shifting moods—sometimes cold, sometimes tender—and the pattern on that piece of fabric. I had seen the exact same design on a screen in the Empress’s bedchamber... Wait, the Empress?
My mind buzzed. Could it be that she was orchestrating all of this?
A chill crept from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.
If that were true, wasn't I in grave danger?
Was the Empress trying to get rid of me to silence me?
The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. A sense of intense unease enveloped me, like the suffocating calm before a storm.
No, I had to leave this place, and quickly!
"Crown Prince, this cloth—" I had just started to speak when, suddenly, a sharp, murderous intent surged toward me!
Before I could react, there was a *whiz*—a sharp arrow tore through the air, heading straight for me!
"Watch out!" At the critical moment, Lu Zhao tackled me to the ground. The arrow grazed my ear and embedded itself into the pillar behind us.
"Assassins!" Xiao Jingming’s voice rang out in the courtyard. Immediately after, a group of figures in black descended from above, all agile and radiating murderous intent.
I was shielded under Lu Zhao, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of my throat.
This sudden attack caught me completely off guard; my mind went blank.
"Protect the Crown Prince's Consort!" Xiao Jingming directed the guards to engage the enemy. The clashing of swords, screams, and roars wove together into a chaotic battlefield.
Lu Zhao held me tightly, his body trembling slightly. I could feel his tension.
He whispered in my ear, "Don't be afraid. I will protect you."
His voice was like a sedative, easing my panic just a little.
I gripped his sleeve tightly, feeling his strong heartbeat. In that moment, I felt strangely secure.
Wave after wave of men in black surged forward—they were all highly trained killers, ruthless and lethal in every move.
Although Lu Zhao was a skilled fighter, he was outnumbered and gradually began to falter.
"Crown Prince, take the Crown Prince's Consort and leave! Leave this to me!" Xiao Jingming shouted while parrying an attack.
Lu Zhao looked at me. He helped me up, took my hand, and rushed toward the back courtyard.
"Trying to run? It won't be that easy!" A man in black blocked our path, his cold, shimmering blade pointed directly at my throat.
Lu Zhao shielded me behind him, his eyes icy and filled with lethal intent. "Whoever dares to touch her will meet a miserable death!"
He engaged the assassin in a fierce struggle, his moves sharp and lightning-fast.
I cowered behind him, my heart in my throat.
Suddenly, Lu Zhao let out a muffled grunt—a sword had pierced his chest.
Blood stained his clothes, a shocking sight.
"Lu Zhao!" I screamed, my eyes instantly welling with tears.
He endured the pain, struck the assassin away with a palm strike, and turned to look at me. A bitter smile touched his lips. "Yue'er, I'm sorry..."
He collapsed slowly. My world felt as though it were collapsing with him.
"No... Lu Zhao, wake up! You can't be hurt..." I held him, tears streaming down my face.
Xiao Jingming arrived with the guards and drove off the remaining assassins.
He looked at Lu Zhao, lying in a pool of blood, his expression grim. "Crown Prince's Consort, we must go! It isn't safe here!"
I held Lu Zhao tightly, refusing to let go. "No, I'm taking him with me!"
"Crown Prince's Consort, this is no time to be stubborn! You are the Empress's next target. You must leave this place at once!" Xiao Jingming said urgently.
The Empress... always the Empress!
My heart sank to the depths of despair.
I finally understood: this was a meticulously crafted conspiracy, and I was merely a pawn in it.
"Take me away..." I choked out.
Xiao Jingming helped me leave the courtyard, which was now filled with blood and slaughter.
I looked back at Lu Zhao, lying in the gore, my heart filled with grief and hopelessness.
I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms.
Empress, just you wait. I will return, and I will make you pay for everything you've done!
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my chest... I clutched my chest, everything went black, and I lost consciousness.
"Crown Prince's Consort!" Xiao Jingming's voice echoed in my ears, growing fainter and fainter...
I felt as if I had fallen into an bottomless abyss, surrounded by darkness, cold, and biting chill...
"Yue'er..." A familiar voice sounded in my ears, gentle and lingering...
"Lu Zhao..." I murmured his name, trying to reach out to him, but I couldn't grasp him...
"Wake up..." Who is calling me?
I slowly opened my eyes and saw a familiar face coming into view... "Xiao Jingming..."
My head throbbed like a disastrous drum solo.
I woke up drenched in sweat, the afterimage of Lu Zhao’s blood-soaked clothes clinging to my mind like a stubborn stain.
That witch, that queen!
This was just her opening act, a twisted preview of the main event.
A chill, colder than a landlord's heart in winter, shivered down my spine.
"This isn't over," I muttered, my voice hoarse.
"She’ll be back." Next to me, Xiao Jingming looked grim, as filled with dread as I was.
Thank heavens, Lu Zhao, though pale, was alive, lying on my other side, his hand weakly clutching mine.
That was truly a narrow escape.
"We have to think of something," I said, sitting up and ignoring the splitting headache.
"I can't keep playing the part of the damsel in distress. I'm sick of that tired script."
"Agreed," Lu Zhao said, his voice weak but firm.
He frowned, clutching his ribs.
"It’s clear she wants you dead. But why go through such an elaborate ruse? The whole business with the body double... it’s like something out of a trashy soap opera."
"Yeah, well, tell that to my life," I complained.
"I’m starting to think my life is just a crappy drama, written by someone who absolutely hates happy endings."
We sat in silence for a while, the pressure of the unknown weighing on us like a sumo wrestler in a yoga class.
Then, Xiao Jingming spoke, his voice low.
"There’s something I haven't told you both..." He paused, his gaze fixed on something behind me.
I followed his gaze and saw a shadow flickering at the doorway.
Someone was eavesdropping...